1
as in dual
consisting of two members or parts that are usually joined
the double-edged purpose of the sales promotion is to clear out existing stock and to attract new customers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning
her double-edged remark that she hoped that I ultimately got what I deserved
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of double-edged
In the cognitive realm, artificial intelligence is similarly double-edged.
—
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2025
Putin boasts of Russia’s record-low 2.3% unemployment rate, but this sword is double-edged.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025
For Eisenberg’s film, the decision is double-edged: from the perspective of the characters, exceptional demands are placed on the dialogue to make their past come to life, but the dialogue isn’t sufficiently rich or imaginative to meet the challenge.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
Usually double-edged, the weapons were occasionally decorated with engraved patterns.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
Among artists and intellectuals, technology has always been double-edged, utopian and dystopian.
—Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2023
Moran’s joke is double-edged.
—Giles Harvey, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2023
Trending For Sohn, identity is double-edged.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Feb. 2023
Nearly all executives and investors in this niche of neurotechnology acknowledge Musk’s impact on the field, though some say it is double-edged.
—Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2023
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2025
Putin boasts of Russia’s record-low 2.3% unemployment rate, but this sword is double-edged.
—Christian Edwards, CNN, 26 Jan. 2025
For Eisenberg’s film, the decision is double-edged: from the perspective of the characters, exceptional demands are placed on the dialogue to make their past come to life, but the dialogue isn’t sufficiently rich or imaginative to meet the challenge.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
Usually double-edged, the weapons were occasionally decorated with engraved patterns.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
Among artists and intellectuals, technology has always been double-edged, utopian and dystopian.
—Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 27 Apr. 2023
Moran’s joke is double-edged.
—Giles Harvey, The New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2023
Trending For Sohn, identity is double-edged.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Feb. 2023
Nearly all executives and investors in this niche of neurotechnology acknowledge Musk’s impact on the field, though some say it is double-edged.
—Daniel Gilbert, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for double-edged
Adjective
-
Best Fourth of July BHG x Walmart Outdoor Furniture Deals Better Homes & Gardens Set of 2 River Oaks Outdoor Swivel Gliders These dual swivel gliders will pair perfectly with a morning cup of coffee or an evening cocktail.—
Nicole Pyles,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 July 2025
-
Hiestand currently serves on the board of the St. Hope Endowment and previously held dual roles as school founder Kevin Johnson’s personal lawyer and the school’s Title IX officer.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
These beers had previously been included within larger, more ambiguous lager categories for the Great American Beer Festival competition, but the Brewers Association says the uniqueness and growing popularity of these styles warrants individual guideline recognition.—
Don Tse,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Tipping for other services may be more ambiguous and recommended as a dollar amount instead, like $10 per hour or $5 per bag carried or shuttle driven.—
Katie Kelton,
Boston Herald,
22 June 2025
Adjective
-
The team found that binary coding could store messages 10 times longer than Morse code.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 June 2025
-
Boards are now forced into a binary decision: double down—pay up for ex-banker talent, spin up second-line compliance, turn ISO 20022 into a religion—or retreat to pure subscription margins and hope the competition does the same.—
Zennon Kapron,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
On Thursday, Bloom shared a series of cryptic quotes from Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist Carl Jung on Instagram.—
Lianne Kolirin,
CNN Money,
4 July 2025
-
The team also discovered two more new species: the cryptic Namib day gecko and the miniature Namib day gecko.—
Aspen Pflughoeft
July 3,
Miami Herald,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
Written and directed by Coogler, Sinners stars the filmmaker’s Black Panther and Creed collaborator Jordan as twin brothers Smoke and Stack, who return home to Mississippi in 1932 after serving in World War I and working for the mob in Chicago.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
-
As viewers sip wine and share warm bowls of chili, they’re transported straight back to the early 2000s, when sleepaway camps, secret handshakes, and secret twin swaps were the height of summer fantasy.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Their final products include paintings, sketches, audio recordings, sculptures and videos of some of the Louvre’s most iconic artworks, as well as some of its more obscure.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 June 2025
-
Once a relatively obscure topic, college accreditation has become a frequent target of conservative criticism.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Prioritize sleep quality: Creating a consistent bedtime routine and keeping your bedroom cool and dark may help improve sleep.—
Stella Bard,
Health,
27 June 2025
-
Executive Chef Graham House and Chef de Cuisine Graham House of Luminosa in Asheville, NC, recommend using a whole roast chicken, both dark and white meat, but placing half of it in the food processor before hand shredding the remaining bits for texture.—
Catherine Jessee,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Double-edged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/double-edged. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share